You cant be seriously be selling this car already. My car has not had its date yet LOL.
Yup, she is going before I kill myself working on her. LOL.
Yesterday I wanted to just change the exhaust flange gasket, and it took me the better part of 3 hours to do a 15 minute job!
I just did not have the strength to push those springs far enough in to engage the threads on the 2 bolts to put it back together. It did not help that the threads on the bolts were missing the first 1/4" of threads.
Eventually I won, but it was a very hard fought battle. I should only have needed a 15mm socket, extension and ratchet, but by the time I was done I even had the jack under there to help me get the bolts back in.
The wife is already trying to talk me out of selling her, but I am tired, sore, and just a bit upset with myself and my lack of strength and drive to do the work anymore..... And, the A/C I just paid someone pretty good bucks to fix, is leaking...... I would not have known if I had not tried to do the exhaust yesterday. I found little green bubbles coming out of a fitting, and when I hit the a/c when I was all done, it cycled on and off like it was low on pressure. GRRRRRR!
Frustrated is the only word I can think of to show how I feel right now.
If you know of anyone that is looking for a pretty solid car to play with, this is the one, I just cannot do it anymore. She runs and drives great, but is just a bit too much for this old fart to work on without a lift to do the work on.
Just a recommendation, but since you paid to have them do the work, take it back and make them fix it right. You paid for it.
Trust me, they will be getting a bit of railshot attitude tomorrow morning early!
The good news is, by replacing the exhaust flange gasket, I am no longer smelling exhaust fumes in the cabin like I was. I was so upset yesterday by everything, I did not even take her out to test it. Just pulled in from a 30 mile test drive, and it even sounds better now.
I understand your attitude. At 59, I sometimes feel like I'm getting too old/tired to keep working on Fieros. (I'm in the process of rebuilding the suspension, and installing poly bushings. Have finished 3 of 4 corners.) Then I keep going. I just remind myself that it's not my "driver". I'm under no time constraints.
If you see green bubbles, you've pretty much "found" the leak. I'm picturing the connection in the front of the engine compartment, in the left corner. It's a 10mm bolt. It's probably just loose. At worst, it's probably just a bad O-ring. It's a common place for them to leak. Even if it's not a warranty repair, it's not difficult to do.
I understand your attitude. At 59, I sometimes feel like I'm getting too old/tired to keep working on Fieros. (I'm in the process of rebuilding the suspension, and installing poly bushings. Have finished 3 of 4 corners.) Then I keep going. I just remind myself that it's not my "driver". I'm under no time constraints.
If you see green bubbles, you've pretty much "found" the leak. I'm picturing the connection in the front of the engine compartment, in the left corner. It's a 10mm bolt. It's probably just loose. At worst, it's probably just a bad O-ring. It's a common place for them to leak. Even if it's not a warranty repair, it's not difficult to do.
Thanks Raydar, I need a few days away and I will probably pull my for sale add, but even today I am having a hard time looking lovingly at her. I think it was just a cold slap in the face that has made me realize I am not 21 anymore, and never will be.
I called the guys that "fixed" my a/c, and they are going to be looking at it again starting tomorrow night.
I do remember reading something about a 10mm bolt in one of the many threads I read prior to even thinking about the a/c, but what I am seeing is more a leak at a 90 that goes either from or to the a/c compressor and into something that looks like and expansion can..(part number 10034325 ; 15-3484; 153484). Item #7 on the first small drawing to the left in this link. http://www.wholesalegmparts...ukey_assembly=393015 Looking online it is between $110 to $235 for the lines.
I just wish they would have called me and said, "Hey, we found a bad fitting and it will cost ??? to replace". That just irritates the crap out of me, and has actually turned me into what I am right now.
I even went so far as to go look at a Solstice on Saturday and have been reading all I can find out about them. But..... time will tell.
Okay. The lines and muffler. (That's what it's called. The little can.) They may be able to braze or weld it. Probably will just want to replace the assembly. Probably not a bad idea. I blew the high pressure hose off of mine. Made a hell of a noise and a bunch of smoke at 80 MPH. Thought I had blown my engine. But yeah... I understand. I'm not getting any younger or more agile, either. But I'm not ready to give up on them. I hope it all works out, however you want it to.
You guys are scaring me. I'm 60... and I have six Fieros here.
LOL, my big mistake was taking an 8 year pause between owning one. I really do believe if I had kept one at least, it would have kept my skills and strength up.
Since I got the '88, I have actually lost 20 lbs just from working on the Fiero. And trust me, the beer intake has increased significantly.
If you're losing weight working on a Fiero, it's probably a good thing. If you're losing weight worrying about a Fiero (the Fiero is working on you), it's a bad thing.
For those of you gaining weight, I'd like it back. My weight isn't in free-fall, but I can't seem to keep it. Nothing to do with my Fiero, though. I just sortof have a dissociative relatiationship with it. It avoids me, and I keep trying to find it. About the time I find it, it moves on.
If you're losing weight working on a Fiero, it's probably a good thing. If you're losing weight worrying about a Fiero (the Fiero is working on you), it's a bad thing.
I dog-sat my ex's husky for a month last April. (I've known the hound for 10 years, the woman for 16.) We walked for 2 1/2 hours every day... it's a husky thing. During that month, I went from 195 to 180. For me, that wasn't desired. I'm 6'3", and I'm still trying to regain it!
You guys are a hoot. The weight loss is more just from doing something vs. not doing anything for the past 8 years. Up until around 7 years ago I would run / walk quite a bit daily, then my stupid left knee and achilles tendon on the same leg decided they were unhappy with that. Thus, the automatic transmission..... I still could do with about 10 lbs less, so maybe keeping the GT around for another month or so is not a bad idea.
Nobody has bothered to post anything in the for sale thread ..... sheesh, I thought for sure someone would at least tell me I am nuts asking that much for a GT with that many miles needing paint. 163 views, and slowly moving to page 2. No, I will not be bumping it up to the top every day, week, or month. It is what it is, and if I can get what I am asking, I may just let her go.... yeah, having 2nd thoughts already. LOL,
She is back in the shop that "fixed" the a/c last week. I pretty much told the guy they messed up, and I am not shelling out any more money, and it better be right when I get her back. Hell, when I bought it I thought I would be using all the money I have paid them to do repairs for a paint job. I know their time is money, but do it right the first time...... my time is just as valuable.
Raydar, I guess another pound or several are forthcoming.
As far as the car, if you can get that, it's worth that to someone. I took a break from a Fiero because I was frustrated. I tried to do too much, too fast. I suggest you put it safely aside, cover it up, and do something else for a month or so. Then perhaps attend a Fiero event or meeting. Then re-evaluate. Or, the car will sell. Don't rush. If you still really want to sell, accentuate the positive.
Patrick, I lost 100 pounds in a year. I've gained a few pounds back. This happened some years ago. There were previous times I lost weight due to injury or an incident. I went from 195 in May of '94, to 188 for Thanksgiving, to 132 for Christmas of '94. If I could get back to 180, I'd be at least at a healthy weight.
[This message has been edited by tshark (edited 07-19-2016).]
Raydar, I guess another pound or several are forthcoming.
As far as the car, if you can get that, it's worth that to someone. I took a break from a Fiero because I was frustrated. I tried to do too much, too fast. I suggest you put it safely aside, cover it up, and do something else for a month or so. Then perhaps attend a Fiero event or meeting. Then re-evaluate. Or, the car will sell. Don't rush. If you still really want to sell, accentuate the positive.
Patrick, I lost 100 pounds in a year. I've gained a few pounds back. This happened some years ago. There were previous times I lost weight due to injury or an incident. I went from 195 in May of '94, to 188 for Thanksgiving, to 132 for Christmas of '94. If I could get back to 180, I'd be at least at a healthy weight.
tshark, that is pretty much what my wife has said. I have only had the GT for 2 months, and I am expecting far too much to be done in that short span of time. I think the thing that really got to me last weekend, was paying someone else pretty good bucks to do what I at one time could have done like it was nothing, and then to have it fail so soon afterwards.
I pride myself for my patience with other people, but I sure am hard on myself sometimes.
Nobody has bothered to post anything in the for sale thread ..... sheesh, I thought for sure someone would at least tell me I am nuts asking that much for a GT with that many miles needing paint.
I didn't want to be the first to hijack your "for sale" thread, with a bunch of comments telling you that you shouldn't sell. That's why I dug up this one. I hope you decide to keep it. Just be patient. You'll get it sorted out. And when it's done, you'll be happy that you did.
I'm still learning stuff. I figured out last night (on my 6th lower control arm that I've replaced bushings - 3 cars, over the years) that I didn't have to burn the bushings out. A drill did nicely, and didn't smoke up the driveway and stink up the garage. My wife was grateful.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-20-2016).]
I didn't want to be the first to hijack your "for sale" thread, with a bunch of comments telling you that you shouldn't sell. That's why I dug up this one. I hope you decide to keep it. Just be patient. You'll get it sorted out. And when it's done, you'll be happy that you did.
I'm still learning stuff. I figured out last night (on my 6th lower control arm that I've replaced bushings - 3 cars, over the years) that I didn't have to burn the bushings out. A drill did nicely, and didn't smoke up the driveway and stink up the garage. My wife was grateful.
Thanks Raydar..... You have been a rather calming influence in your posts. Never thought about a drill for doing that, and I have more power equipment than most anybody could use, and at work access to dang near anything else. My wife would give me "the look" if I ever did that again, and now that you say a drill works, I could have saved myself a ton of cash to have someone else do it for me. (smacks self in head for not thinking of that one)
I am slowly getting over my slightly (ok, very) immature reaction to my a/c taking a dump, and as of today, I am checking into paint again. LOL. To paint, or vinyl wrap, that is the question. Waiting for a quote on both.
Sure wish I was a body man, but vinyl wrapping sounds like something I could do at home, and have fun doing it. I have been looking at some threads here where people have done it, and it just looks like it takes a lot of patience and ...... a lot of patience. Just break out some classical music, throw in some country, open some cold ones, and go!
Originally posted by railshot: ... Never thought about a drill for doing that, and I have more power equipment than most anybody could use, and at work access to dang near anything else. My wife would give me "the look" if I ever did that again, and now that you say a drill works, I could have saved myself a ton of cash to have someone else do it for me. ...
I remembered reading a suggestion, years ago, that they could be drilled, but it didn't sound... expedient? It's when I realized that if you hold the drill just right, that it will spin around the sleeve, and gradually chew through enough rubber that the bushings can just be grabbed and twisted out. I used a rotary wire brush, in a drill, to buff the inside of the metal sleeves. I just pressed the lowers in, tonight. They went in just fine. Have to find my other tube of silicone grease before I can finish the uppers.
The one positive aspect of what I'm doing is that my front springs are now cut by one coil. Makes it a good bit easier to lever them back into place when I put the suspension back together. Stock length springs would not be fun.
But yeah... keep on keepin' on. I'd like to see you get your dream car screwed together and completed. Then if you decide to sell it, it'll be because that's what you really need/want to do, and not because you're frustrated.
Edit - I just reread, and realized you went back in with stock bushings. If I had done that, I probably would have paid someone else to do mine, too. I'm doing poly in everything but the rear trailing links. (My right lower ball joint was so shot that it rattled when I shook it, after removal.)
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-21-2016).]
I remembered reading a suggestion, years ago, that they could be drilled, but it didn't sound... expedient? It's when I realized that if you hold the drill just right, that it will spin around the sleeve, and gradually chew through enough rubber that the bushings can just be grabbed and twisted out. I used a rotary wire brush, in a drill, to buff the inside of the metal sleeves. I just pressed the lowers in, tonight. They went in just fine. Have to find my other tube of silicone grease before I can finish the uppers.
The one positive aspect of what I'm doing is that my front springs are now cut by one coil. Makes it a good bit easier to lever them back into place when I put the suspension back together. Stock length springs would not be fun.
But yeah... keep on keepin' on. I'd like to see you get your dream car screwed together and completed. Then if you decide to sell it, it'll be because that's what you really need/want to do, and not because you're frustrated.
Edit - I just reread, and realized you went back in with stock bushings. If I had done that, I probably would have paid someone else to do mine, too. I'm doing poly in everything but the rear trailing links. (My right lower ball joint was so shot that it rattled when I shook it, after removal.)
Thanks Raydar, I had really never thought about putting the rubber bushings back in.. that would be a major pain, so now I am actually glad I had someone else do it. Luckily my ball joints were all good, it just needed inner tie rod ends and bushings. She drives great now, so in hindsight it was worth the cost of everything.
The wife and I talked this past week, and we both agree it is time to sell, not out of frustration, just because it is time for me to hang up my tool belt with projects like this. Don't get me wrong, I still love Fiero's, but I guess I have turned into one of those guys that should just get a perfect one and drive it.
Listed on craigslist this morning..... a little sad, but I do not anticipate it selling very quickly.
There is a guy up here that has had an '88 GT on craigslist for a long time now with only 45k on it and a 5 speed. He is asking less than I am on craigslist, and still has it! Link to his ad if anyone is interested in it..... http://milwaukee.craigslist.../cto/5650829230.html His ad says he has 3 other low mileage Fiero's for less!
The unfortunate reality is that any Fiero can and will need work. You could drive one that looks badly for years with no issues, or have a nice one break down regularly. I sold one mainly for parking space reasons, but also because I tried to do too much, too fast, and it really got me down, to the point that I became overwhelmed with all the things that needed to be done. It had had coolant issues, due to a crushed and leaking coolant pipe, which had added to the frustration. I sold it to a guy who was going to restore it. He patched the coolant pipe, and has been driving it for the last 3 years as a daily driver. It had 140K when I sold it. It has more than 210K, now. No issues. He hasn't restored it. He says when it breaks down, he'll restore it. Yeah, the cat is bad, and there is a rattling heat shield by the trunk. I had put $4K into replacing the brake pads, rotors, calipers, suspension, brake lines, bushings, door hinge pins, sail panels, headlight motors, all new power window and lock motors/actuators, all new switches, aftermarket instrument cluster faces, all lighting, wheel bearings, complete ebrake with lever, all sensors and filters, all rubber hoses and various engine seals, as well as repairing the rusted trunk and fixing the wiring harness. I had replaced the shift knob and the steering wheel, recalibrated the gauges, fixed the temp gauge wiring, restored the air filter cannister and filter, replaced the cruise can, replaced all vacuum lines, new battery, and restored the battery tray. It still needed a lot, though, like seat covers, headliner, carpet, paint, the steering dampener, exhaust, wheel polish, HVAC vents, obviously the coolant tubes needed to be replaced, transmission mounts, 2 motor mounts, the included decklid springs needed to be installed, probably a new heater core, and some interior warping issues fixed.
For the mileage, your car looks like a nice, clean car, and you've made a lot of improvements on it. I considered buying it, but I already have a white '88 GT, you're far away, and I had an unexpected expense that will be costing me my fun money. If I had made an offer, I was going to say that part of the deal would have to include dinner.
The unfortunate reality is that any Fiero can and will need work. You could drive one that looks badly for years with no issues, or have a nice one break down regularly. I sold one mainly for parking space reasons, but also because I tried to do too much, too fast, and it really got me down, to the point that I became overwhelmed with all the things that needed to be done. It had had coolant issues, due to a crushed and leaking coolant pipe, which had added to the frustration. I sold it to a guy who was going to restore it. He patched the coolant pipe, and has been driving it for the last 3 years as a daily driver. It had 140K when I sold it. It has more than 210K, now. No issues. He hasn't restored it. He says when it breaks down, he'll restore it. Yeah, the cat is bad, and there is a rattling heat shield by the trunk. I had put $4K into replacing the brake pads, rotors, calipers, suspension, brake lines, bushings, door hinge pins, sail panels, headlight motors, all new power window and lock motors/actuators, all new switches, aftermarket instrument cluster faces, all lighting, wheel bearings, complete ebrake with lever, all sensors and filters, all rubber hoses and various engine seals, as well as repairing the rusted trunk and fixing the wiring harness. I had replaced the shift knob and the steering wheel, recalibrated the gauges, fixed the temp gauge wiring, restored the air filter cannister and filter, replaced the cruise can, replaced all vacuum lines, new battery, and restored the battery tray. It still needed a lot, though, like seat covers, headliner, carpet, paint, the steering dampener, exhaust, wheel polish, HVAC vents, obviously the coolant tubes needed to be replaced, transmission mounts, 2 motor mounts, the included decklid springs needed to be installed, probably a new heater core, and some interior warping issues fixed.
For the mileage, your car looks like a nice, clean car, and you've made a lot of improvements on it. I considered buying it, but I already have a white '88 GT, you're far away, and I had an unexpected expense that will be costing me my fun money. If I had made an offer, I was going to say that part of the deal would have to include dinner.
I hear ya tshark! Fun money is hard to come by sometimes, especially when we have the newest grandbaby now. She is over here right now and taking up my napping space and time! LOL, grandbabies rule. Not the first but boy can they add up....
That in all reality is not why I am selling the GT to be honest. I have the money to have anyone do anything to it I wished, but I (me, myself, and I) wish I was able to do it all myself, and I am just not able to anymore in what I would consider a timely fashion. C'mon, 3 hours to change an exhaust flange gasket....... who is that old fart?
At one point in my life I was very into Triumph cars. Did a full restoration of several, of which my '64 TR4-A and '69 GT6 were my favorites, and the worst when I got them. Full floor board replacements, engine overhauls, transmission rebuilds, suspension etc..... everything but body and paint. Took months, actually a couple of years to complete,
Maybe I did try to rush it to "perfection", but that is just me. Patient with everyone else, and impatient with myself.
And, if I cannot get what I am asking for it (4k here 4.5k on craigslist) it is still going to be mine to work on as I please. Deep down inside I hope I have priced it too high for anyone to buy!
Dinner...... hmmm, don't need to buy the car for that! If you are ever in the area, we (the wife and myself) would more than welcome a night out or a cookout with beers........
Time to pop another one, son in law finally woke up from his nap..... and boy did he need it with a 7 month old to take car of. I truly believe they come here to visit so they can nap for a bit. I know I did way back then.... Heheheh.....
Dinner...... hmmm, don't need to buy the car for that! If you are ever in the area, we (the wife and myself) would more than welcome a night out or a cookout with beers........
Time to pop another one, son in law finally woke up from his nap..... and boy did he need it with a 7 month old to take car of. I truly believe they come here to visit so they can nap for a bit. I know I did way back then.... Heheheh.....
Well, you never know, but it's a long way up there.
I think your price is about right. It may take a bit, but should be worth that.
Yeah, kids (especially the first one) can be tiring. I implement quiet time. This means daddy naps, and the kids sleep or play quietly by themselves.
Originally posted by railshot: ... I (me, myself, and I) wish I was able to do it all myself, and I am just not able to anymore in what I would consider a timely fashion. C'mon, 3 hours to change an exhaust flange gasket....... who is that old fart? ...
This is precisely why I'm not a mechanic. I would starve. I can figure out how to do most anything, but it won't get done quickly. This has been for as long as I've been tinkering with cars. I just work at my own pace.
I wish you luck with your sale. I won't try to talk you out of it, any more. Good thing I'm not closer...
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-24-2016).]
No reason for this post other than I just looked at my post count and it was at 666! Should be 667 now, no superstition, but I do watch a lot of those scary movies and I drove the GT today!
Edit: Phew, it worked.
[This message has been edited by railshot (edited 07-29-2016).]
OK , I have seriously been thinking about this, and I am ready to purchase my very own a/c vacuum pump to do my own ac improvement / repair. Does anyone have a unit they prefer for pulling a vacuum to restore the a/c system? I have everything pretty well covered now with a replacement ac line and all new o-rings.
Need the whole shebang, gauges, pump, etc.
I just do not trust anyone anymore to even touch my GT other than myself. I have some limited HVAC experience, so really no biggie to me.
Last repair needed, and my retired neighbor volunteered tonight to paint her with my assistance!
There are several pumps out there, but would like to hear opinions on any one in particular.
I am ready to order now, overnight expedited. I have the next 4 days off and would like to get it done by Monday night. Any input very much appreciated!
Took the wife for a ride tonight with T-tops off, and guess what...... she liked it! Taking it to State Fair tomorrow..... may be a "rat rod" Fiero for now, but I would be willing to bet, the only one withing 100 miles tomorrow.
I am sure I will have more to post after our trip tomorrow to Milwaukee and our State Fair. These are really rare and hardly seen cars these days, believe it or not, around here, and I am proud to have one!
Thanks notwohorns and Raydar for the link and advice.
Woke up with a bad headcold yesterday so the wife went to State Fair with the daughter inlaw and grandbaby, and I stayted home..... I guess that is what I get for actually washing the GT, for the first time, because we were going to take it to the Fair. I even shined up the exhaust tips!
Figures, I take vacation time for this and I get sick and can't go. LOL. And of course work had to call me a few times because they just cannot live without my wisdom.
So, in my usual great decison making way, I took it to another local shop yesterday morning for the a/c. Different shop only 5 blocks from the house (I know it is exactly 5 blocks cause I drove it there and walked back in 80 degrees with 80% humidity at 8 am ... and with this stupid cold it felt like 5 miles).
Oh brother...... Noon rolled by and no call. Tried to call, no answer. Drove to the little shop and the dude was outside chatting about my Fiero with a NAPA delivery dude. They liked it and said all it needed was a paint job and she would be great.
Asked when he would get to it, and he said all he had to do was put a hose clamp on a pickup and then mine was next. .......... 4 hours later........ no call, nothing....... Drove to the shop and he was outside digging through some nasty old beat up Grand Am.
Saw me pull up and said "The compressor is leaking from the back end." Now this is a brand new compressor, that I told him had a leaky o ring on one of the switches from the last shop I had it at. Raises her back up in the air, I look, and it is leaking at the o ring by the low pressure switch that I had told him about.
Nothing at all has been done to it other than being up in the air...... Asked when it would be done (after giving further guidance as to what needed to be done) and now it is Monday afternoon.
I am going to get up early on Monday morning, (another vacation day for me) walk down there with my tools, (a snap ring pliers and 10mm socket with a ratchet and extensions, I may need a smaller socket to remove a heat shield, but it is only a 5 minute walk back home), lift it up, do the work, and ask for a raise..... heheh...
It is becoming rather evident that finding someone that is good at troubleshooting around here is next to impossible. I even told the guy everything that needed to be done when I dropped it off.
Yup, a character flaw of mine like I posted some time ago. Patient with everyone else except myself..... I am a process manager at a major injection molding company with divisions around the country and in Mexico, so you learn to be patient with others.
Seriously, come Monday morning I will be hanging around his shop and watching or doing everything that needs to be done.
All this because I don't have a lift and have gotten too dang old (ok, maybe a bit lazy ) to lay on the ground anymore.
Crap, when I was under the GT looking at it all nice and easy to get at, I wanted so bad to grab some tools and just get the job done, but the owner just kept babbling about some broad and how she is nuts! In that time I could have....... gotten the job done!
Would have taken maybe 45 minutes at the most being up in the air to pull the switch, put a new o ring in it (one snap ring), pull the hose (c'mon, only 2 small bolts hold it) replace those o rings, install the hose, and then pull a vacuum. Total time for the whole job would be at most 2 hours with seeing if it holds a vacuum and charging. You can tell within 15 minutes if you have a leak with decent gauges, the extra time is just insurance.
yay, a/c is working again...... notice the small "yay" this time.....
Good news is, this time it only cost me $168.00, and that included replacing the hose, new o rings (the ones the other shop said the already did!), evacuate, fill, 3 days of me wondering / worrying, etc... Time will tell, but starting tomorrow it is becoming my "daily driver".
Temps are heading back up into the upper 80's to 90's this week.... the real test will be ahead on Thursday with 90's and humidity, but it is cooling the cabin just fine today (80 out now).
I did spend a couple of hours there today off and on, and had a really good chance to look at everything underneath closely being on a lift. It looks pretty good, not new car good, but for an 1988, pretty good.
If I don't sell her I did see a few things I "want" to do, but nothing that "needs" to be done. Refreshing actually!
Cool! (not to be punny... ) I hope it holds up, for good.
I am now in the same boat you were in, a couple of weeks ago. My A/C drops vacuum in the space of about 3 hours. There is green dye all over the bottom of the (brand new, 2 years ago) compressor. It's either leaking from the compressor itself, the lines, or the junction between the two. Or maybe the pressure switch. The only way to really tell, is to vacuum it down, charge it up, kick the system on and climb under the car to see where it's leaking.
The only problem with that is that I have a touch (touch?!) of fluid on my ears, due to allergies (according to my doctor) or something. Being on my back or side, under the car, and then climbing out and standing up, leads to the garage spinning for several minutes. It's like being good and drunk, without the benefit of the pleasant buzz. Maybe in a couple days...
Cool! (not to be punny... ) I hope it holds up, for good.
I am now in the same boat you were in, a couple of weeks ago. My A/C drops vacuum in the space of about 3 hours. There is green dye all over the bottom of the (brand new, 2 years ago) compressor. It's either leaking from the compressor itself, the lines, or the junction between the two. Or maybe the pressure switch. The only way to really tell, is to vacuum it down, charge it up, kick the system on and climb under the car to see where it's leaking.
The only problem with that is that I have a touch (touch?!) of fluid on my ears, due to allergies (according to my doctor) or something. Being on my back or side, under the car, and then climbing out and standing up, leads to the garage spinning for several minutes. It's like being good and drunk, without the benefit of the pleasant buzz. Maybe in a couple days...
Not cool (pun intended ) Take care of that dizziness, nothing to mess with there.
I did find that the seal for the pressure switches were never changed on mine, and it did look like the compressor was leaking badly from the rear, so fingers crossed for you that is all it is..
I need to go back tomorrow to pick up my old line if it is not in the trunk, because I found someone willing to try to replace the crimps and hoses. If he can repair it, I will have a spare.
Not cool (pun intended ) Take care of that dizziness, nothing to mess with there.
I did find that the seal for the pressure switches were never changed on mine, and it did look like the compressor was leaking badly from the rear, so fingers crossed for you that is all it is..
I need to go back tomorrow to pick up my old line if it is not in the trunk, because I found someone willing to try to replace the crimps and hoses. If he can repair it, I will have a spare.
Thanks. The dizziness is sort of subsiding. Went to the doc today and got a shot. Taking it easy. Sunday, I actually drove and picked up a trailer, and then picked up a car for a friend of mine. (2003 Audi A4 convertible for $1700. Needs a bit of work.) Since it's not a runner, we had to winch it onto the trailer with come-alongs. Lots of fun, out in the sun. Only 94 degrees. That was okay, but I decided, then, that I wasn't going to try to drive in rush hour traffic, today. Even light traffic was a little disconcerting. (The trailer behind the truck was, OTOH, not an issue. Pulled like it wasn't even there. Thankfully.)
All the A/C stuff on mine was new or reworked. The lines had new hoses and crimps. The compressor and switch were new. The O-rings (actually big flat washers with insulating rings incorporated) came with the compressor. I'm still hoping for the best. But that's not how my luck runs, most of the time. But I'm not cynical.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 08-09-2016).]
Well, the wife and I, along with our Shih-Tzu Buddy, spent some quality time yesterday just cruising around with the T-tops out and guess what?
I have pulled all of my for sale postings and have now decided to keep the old girl (no, not the wife, the GT, but the wife stays too for now, heheh).
The wife even drove it solo around the lake we live on, and came back with a huge smile. This is huge, because the first day I got it she took it around the block and swore she would never drive it again!
I will say that it was "rough" back then, but now with all the things that have been done to it, she is coming together!
Over the past week I have been tinkering with this that and the other thing, and came to the realization that this is what I bought it for. A/C is still working quite well, she drives like a dream, and now all that is left to do is cosmetic stuff.
Today the plan is to get the PRNDL light to work, reglue the center console trim, and other odds and ends.
I may be in the market for a different spoiler because yesterday when I lifted the rear decklid, water poured out of mine. We have had a couple of good rains over the past week, and I would not have noticed this if it had not rained, very minor seperation in the wing. It appears to have a split where the two 1/2's were bonded together on the front edge that I may be able to glue back together, but if I cannot, I will be shopping for one.
For me, that wasn't desired. I'm 6'3", and I'm still trying to regain it!
) I hope it holds up, for good.
